More than a century ago, the concept of the electric car emerged, captivating imaginations for many of the very same reasons it’s regaining popularity today. As we witness a surge in demand for electric drive vehicles – be they hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or all-electric – it’s clear that the quest for efficient and economical transportation is not new. With prices becoming more accessible and consumers seeking respite from fluctuating fuel costs, the electric vehicle (EV) market is poised for substantial growth. Current figures show EVs representing over 3% of new vehicle sales, and projections from Navigant Research suggest a potential climb to nearly 7% globally by 2020, equating to 6.6 million vehicles annually.
This burgeoning interest invites us to delve into the historical roots of electric vehicle technology and trace its journey through time. Join us as we embark on an exploration of the fascinating history of the Early Electric Car.
The Genesis of the Electric Vehicle
Attributing the invention of the electric car to a single individual or nation proves challenging. Instead, it was the culmination of various pioneering advancements in the 19th century – from breakthroughs in battery technology to the development of the electric motor – that paved the way for the first early electric cars to grace the roads.
During the early decades of the 1800s, inventive minds across Hungary, the Netherlands, and the United States, including a Vermont blacksmith, began experimenting with the notion of battery-powered transportation. Their endeavors resulted in some of the earliest iterations of small-scale electric cars. Simultaneously, British inventor Robert Anderson engineered a rudimentary electric carriage. However, it was in the latter half of the 19th century that French and English inventors truly refined the concept, constructing some of the first genuinely practical early electric cars.
Alt text: A vintage photograph of a late 19th-century electric car, highlighting its basic structure and resemblance to a horse-drawn carriage.
In the United States, the first successful early electric car debuted around 1890, thanks to William Morrison, a chemist residing in Des Moines, Iowa. His six-passenger vehicle, capable of reaching a top speed of 14 miles per hour, was essentially an electrified wagon. Yet, it played a crucial role in igniting public curiosity and enthusiasm for electric vehicles.
The ensuing years witnessed a proliferation of early electric cars from various manufacturers across the U.S. New York City even boasted a fleet exceeding 60 electric taxis. By 1900, early electric cars had reached their zenith, representing approximately one-third of all vehicles on American roads. Their robust sales continued throughout the subsequent decade, marking a golden era for early electric car technology.
The Initial Ascent and Decline of the Electric Car
To fully grasp the widespread appeal of early electric cars around 1900, it’s essential to consider the broader context of personal transportation development and the competing technologies of the time. At the dawn of the 20th century, the horse remained the dominant mode of transport. However, as prosperity grew in America, people increasingly turned to the newly invented motor vehicle – available in steam, gasoline, or electric variants – for personal mobility.
Steam power was a well-established and dependable energy source, proven in factories and trains. Indeed, some of the earliest self-propelled vehicles in the late 1700s utilized steam. Yet, it wasn’t until the 1870s that steam technology gained traction in automobiles. A significant drawback for personal vehicles was steam’s impracticality. Steam cars required lengthy start-up times, sometimes up to 45 minutes in cold weather, and needed frequent water refills, limiting their operational range.
Concurrently with the rise of early electric cars, gasoline-powered vehicles emerged, driven by advancements in internal combustion engine technology during the 1800s. While gasoline cars held promise, they also presented challenges. Operating them demanded considerable manual effort – gear changes were cumbersome, and starting the engine required a hand crank, making them difficult for some to manage. They were also notoriously noisy and produced unpleasant exhaust fumes.
Alt text: Historical image of a city street in the early 20th century, featuring a blend of early electric automobiles and traditional horse-drawn carriages, illustrating the transitional period in transportation.
Early electric cars sidestepped the issues associated with both steam and gasoline. They operated quietly, were simple to drive, and produced no noxious emissions, unlike their contemporaries. Early electric cars rapidly gained favor among urban dwellers, particularly women. They were ideally suited for short urban commutes, and the poor road conditions prevalent outside of cities limited the feasibility of longer journeys for all vehicle types. As electricity became more accessible in the 1910s, charging early electric cars became easier, further enhancing their appeal across various social strata, including some prominent gasoline car manufacturers, as highlighted in a 1911 New York Times article.
Many innovators of the time recognized the high demand for early electric vehicles and explored avenues to refine the technology. Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the renowned sports car company, developed an early electric car named the P1 in 1898. Around the same period, he also created the world’s first hybrid electric car – a vehicle combining electric and gasoline engine power. Thomas Edison, a prolific inventor, championed early electric vehicles as superior technology and dedicated efforts to developing improved electric car batteries. Even Henry Ford, Edison’s friend, collaborated with him in 1914 to investigate the feasibility of a low-cost early electric car, according to Wired.
However, it was Henry Ford’s mass-produced Model T that dealt a significant blow to the early electric car. Introduced in 1908, the Model T made gasoline-powered cars widely affordable and accessible. By 1912, a gasoline car cost a mere $650, while an early electric roadster was priced at $1,750. In the same year, Charles Kettering’s invention of the electric starter eliminated the need for the cumbersome hand crank, further boosting the sales of gasoline-powered vehicles.
Additional factors contributed to the decline of the early electric vehicle. By the 1920s, the United States had developed a more extensive road network connecting cities, fueling a desire for longer-distance travel. The discovery of Texas crude oil led to cheap and readily available gasoline for rural Americans, and gas stations began to proliferate nationwide. In contrast, electricity access remained limited in rural areas. Consequently, early electric vehicles virtually disappeared by 1935.
Gas Shortages Ignite Renewed Interest in Electric Vehicles
For approximately three decades, electric vehicles entered a period of stagnation, with minimal technological advancement. The abundance of inexpensive gasoline and continuous improvements in internal combustion engines suppressed demand for alternative fuel vehicles.
However, the late 1960s and early 1970s witnessed a shift. Surging oil prices and gasoline shortages, culminating in the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo, spurred growing interest in reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil and exploring domestic fuel sources. Congress responded by passing the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1976, authorizing the Energy Department to support research and development in electric and hybrid vehicles.
During this era, both major and smaller automakers began exploring alternative fuel vehicle options, including electric cars. General Motors, for instance, developed a prototype urban electric car, showcased at the Environmental Protection Agency’s First Symposium on Low Pollution Power Systems Development in 1973. American Motor Company produced electric delivery jeeps used by the United States Postal Service in a 1975 trial program. Even NASA contributed to raising the profile of electric vehicles when its electric Lunar rover became the first manned vehicle to traverse the moon in 1971.
Despite these efforts, the electric vehicles developed in the 1970s still suffered from performance limitations compared to gasoline cars. They typically achieved top speeds of only around 45 miles per hour and had a limited range of approximately 40 miles before requiring recharging.
Environmental Concerns Propel Electric Vehicles Forward
Moving into the 1990s, two decades after the gasoline crises of the 1970s, public interest in electric vehicles had largely waned. However, new federal and state regulations began to reshape the landscape. The passage of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendment and the 1992 Energy Policy Act, coupled with stricter transportation emission regulations from the California Air Resources Board, reignited interest in electric vehicles in the U.S.
Automakers started adapting some of their existing popular models into electric versions. These new electric vehicles achieved speeds and performance levels much closer to those of gasoline-powered vehicles, with many offering a range of around 60 miles.
One of the most notable electric cars of this period was GM’s EV1, prominently featured in the 2006 documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? Unlike modifications of existing models, the EV1 was designed and built from the ground up as an electric vehicle. Boasting an 80-mile range and acceleration from 0 to 50 miles per hour in just seven seconds, the EV1 quickly garnered a dedicated following. However, high production costs rendered it commercially unviable, and GM discontinued it in 2001.
Amidst a booming economy, growing middle class, and low gasoline prices in the late 1990s, many consumers showed less concern for fuel-efficient vehicles. While public attention to electric vehicles was limited, behind the scenes, scientists and engineers, with support from the Energy Department, continued to work on improving electric vehicle technology, particularly batteries.
A New Era for Electric Cars
While the intermittent progress of the electric vehicle industry in the latter half of the 20th century demonstrated the technology’s potential, the true resurgence of the electric vehicle began around the start of the 21st century. Depending on perspective, either of two events marked the turning point for the contemporary interest in electric vehicles.
The introduction of the Toyota Prius is often cited as a key catalyst. Launched in Japan in 1997 and globally in 2000, the Prius became the world’s first mass-produced hybrid electric vehicle. Its instant popularity, boosted by celebrity endorsements, significantly raised the profile of hybrid technology. Toyota utilized nickel-metal hydride batteries in the Prius, a technology supported by Energy Department research. Rising gasoline prices and growing concerns about carbon emissions have since propelled the Prius to become the best-selling hybrid worldwide over the past decade.
(Historical note: Before the Prius reached the U.S. market, Honda released the Insight hybrid in 1999, making it the first hybrid sold in the U.S. since the early electric car era of the 1900s.)
The other pivotal event was Tesla Motors’ 2006 announcement of a luxury electric sports car capable of exceeding 200 miles on a single charge. In 2010, Tesla received a $465 million loan from the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office – a loan repaid nine years ahead of schedule – to establish a manufacturing facility in California. Tesla has since gained widespread acclaim for its vehicles and become California’s largest auto industry employer.
Tesla’s announcement and subsequent success spurred major automakers to accelerate their own electric vehicle programs. In late 2010, the Chevy Volt and Nissan LEAF were launched in the U.S. market. The Volt, the first commercially available plug-in hybrid, combined an electric drive with a gasoline engine for extended range. The LEAF, an all-electric vehicle, relied solely on electric power.
Over subsequent years, other automakers introduced electric vehicles in the U.S. However, consumers still faced the challenge of public charging infrastructure. Through the Recovery Act, the Energy Department invested over $115 million to develop a nationwide charging network, installing over 18,000 chargers across the country. Automakers and private businesses also expanded charging infrastructure, resulting in over 8,000 public charging locations with more than 20,000 outlets today.
Simultaneously, advancements in battery technology, supported by the Energy Department’s Vehicle Technologies Office, enhanced the range of plug-in electric vehicles. Department-supported research not only contributed to nickel-metal hydride batteries in early hybrids but also to the lithium-ion battery technology used in the Volt. Continued investment in battery R&D has reduced electric vehicle battery costs by 50% in recent years while improving performance, making electric vehicles more affordable.
Consumers now have an unprecedented selection of electric vehicles. Currently, 23 plug-in electric and 36 hybrid models are available, ranging from compact cars to luxury SUVs. As gasoline prices rise and electric vehicle prices continue to decrease, electric vehicles are gaining popularity, with over 234,000 plug-in electric vehicles and 3.3 million hybrids on U.S. roads today.
The Trajectory of Electric Cars
Predicting the future of electric vehicles with certainty remains elusive, but their potential for a more sustainable future is undeniable. Transitioning all light-duty vehicles in the U.S. to hybrids or plug-in electric vehicles using current technology could reduce foreign oil dependence by 30-60% and decrease transportation sector carbon emissions by up to 20%.
To facilitate these emission reductions, President Obama launched the EV Everywhere Grand Challenge in 2012, an Energy Department initiative aimed at making plug-in electric vehicles as affordable as gasoline-powered vehicles by 2022. The Department’s Joint Center for Energy Storage Research at Argonne National Laboratory is addressing the major scientific and technical hurdles to large-scale battery improvements.
Furthermore, the Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) is fostering groundbreaking technologies that could revolutionize electric vehicles, from new battery types for extended range to cost-effective alternatives for critical electric motor materials.
Ultimately, the future path of electric vehicles will unfold over time. However, the journey from the early electric car to today’s advanced models demonstrates a remarkable evolution driven by innovation, economic factors, and a growing awareness of environmental responsibility.
